The debut of Elmira's new high school went smoothly Wednesday, save for lost students, a quandary over unisex bathrooms and a not-quite-done but fully functioning cafeteria.

Students welcomed the hour later start time, 8:50 a.m., and concern over the big influx of buses and new traffic patterns in the parking lot was largely unwarranted.

Inside Elmira High School, the 1,400-member student body — made up of pupils in grades 10 through 12 — embraced the new era that brings together students from the former Southside High School and Elmira Free Academy in the Southside building.

"This is my 11th year in this building," said Principal Christopher Krantz. "There is always energy on the first day of school, maybe a little more anxiety today because people didn't know where they were going. There were just as many smiles from faculty and students."

Elmira High School seniors Jessica Thatcher, left, the senior class co-president, and her best friend, Jordan Dgien, both attended Elmira Free Academy last year and said the debut of the new high school went well. BOB JAMIESON / STAFF PHOTO

There was an ebb and flow throughout the morning. For much of the time, hallways with new red lockers stood empty, except for aides in black Elmira Express T-shirts that Superintendent Hillary Austin provided and asked staff to wear. When classes changed, a surge of students flooded the corridors from side to side.

"This is ridiculous," one student was overheard saying of the hallway throng. Other students ducked into the main office, seeking directions to their next class from secretary Sue Murphy, who said she only caught herself saying Southside High School once over the past two days during the flood of calls she handled.

"The traffic patterns within the building haven't been established yet. You learn different ways to go and get places," Krantz said. "Right now, the students are taking the path that they know, but it may not be the fastest route. Once they learn the ... side avenues and hallways, they will get there quicker."

"After 26 years of teaching, it is my first day of teaching in a new place. It feels great," said math teacher Elaine Perkins, who formerly taught at Elmira Free Academy. "It's a very welcoming environment, the building is clean. I feel very comfortable here. I think everybody is optimistic and really wants to see a great high school."

'Going great'

Senior Taylor Barrow, a former Southside student, shared that enthusiasm. "I'm excited to be here. It's a big change. I love all the new colors," she said of the red and black, which supplanted the green and white of Southside in the building.

Senior Kevin Strong came over from EFA and like many other seniors was wearing the red T-shirt that listed the names of all 550 seniors on the back. "I know the building, people from doing sports here. I am looking forward to meeting all the new teachers, students and events," he said.

"It has been happening progressively for the past couple years, so it has been not that big of a step," senior Logan Wenzel, a former Southside student, said of the merger. "No one had any idea how it would be until today, but it hasn't been that different. It's been going great."

Krantz said he allowed himself to be nostalgic, but only up to the day before school started. "It was more emotional for me (Tuesday), looking at the building knowing (Wednesday) was going to be a very historic day in the City of Elmira," he said.

New challenges

Wednesday was a day for action and the new situation did present new challenges. The yellow Post-it notes neatly covering Krantz's desk couldn't cover all situations.

Twice he was stopped about the two gender-neutral bathrooms in the newly expanded cafeteria, first by two custodians in his office, later by two aides in a hallway. Despite the fact one restroom has several urinals and the other has several stalls, Krantz instructed them they were both to be monitored and only one person was to be allowed into each at a time. The change is to accommodate students of various sexual orientations.

Late morning, as the first lunch period approached, he hurried down the hallway as lines backed up into the corridor outside the cafeteria. Speaking loudly and pointing, Krantz eased congestion by telling students there were three ways to enter the cafeteria.

Roxy Beach manages the cafeteria, which underwent $7 million of renovations to the kitchen, dining and food line areas, which doubled in size, to handle the larger number of students. "I think anything new is always chaotic, but we are doing very well. I am so excited and happy about the serving area and our food. If you had seen our kitchen two days ago …"

The expansion to the main dining area handled students Wednesday, but some areas were still taped off and a wall half-painted.

"It is functional. There are about two more weeks of what we call punch-list things to fix, polish and finish," Krantz said.

Few problems

Chemung County Sheriff's Deputy James Ritter, who serves as a school resource officer along with Deputy Jason Smith, patrolled the dining area but said there were few problems. "I am here to make sure everyone is getting along," he said, adding more common problems are students using social media after school to harass other students.

Traffic issues were anticipated because more students are bused to the high school, including all students from Elmira's Northside. In addition, traffic patterns were changed. All buses now go to the back of the school to drop off and pick up students, there is a new traffic flow in the parking lot and left turns onto Main Street are prohibited from the north end of the lot, where students park.

"The kids were great, the buses were great. It went off without a hitch," said Jesse Ferris, one of three assistant principals at the school. "There have been a lot conversations between the district transportation department, the administration and BOCES ... to make sure it went well."

Elmira Police Sgt. Tim Dacey largely agreed, saying there were a few growing pains but nothing major. "A couple times there was a little bit of a backup coming out of the parking lot and people trying to make a left turn," Dacey said. "I think after a few days it will get ironed out." he said, adding that larger no-left-turn signs may help.

"At first, it was kind of scary, thinking about a new environment your senior year, but seeing our class really work together with the Southside class (last year) it turned out pretty good. We have a lot of our EFA teachers for our main classes, but it is nice seeing different kids," Dgien said.

Thatcher explained that class officers from EFA and Southside have been meeting for over a year to envision what the new Elmira High School would be and what traditions they wanted to preserve, such as Spirit Week leading up to the Sept. 27 homecoming. They are also discussing having a student lock-in, where students enjoy a variety of activities inside the school, as an alternative to a dance.

"I think since they were so good at integrating and starting us out slow on athletics being combined and then musicals being combined, the kids were pretty comfortable on the first day of school. Everyone is excited for the new year," Thatcher said.